Convertible rocker furniture



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Patented `lune 26,

QFFICE CONVERTIBLE ROCKER FURNITURE Edward A. Simard and Raymond P. Simard, Beecher Falls, Vt.

Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,259

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in rocker type furniture, and the primary object of the invention is to provide simple and ineX- pensive convertible rocker structure which can be readily incorporated in different kinds of furniture, such as kitchen, dining room, livingroom, porch, bedroom, and nursery furniture.

Another important object of the invention is to provide convertible rocker structure of the above indicated character which is self-concealing so as not to be visible in a manner to detract from the conventional or ornamental appearance of the piece of furniture in which it is incorporated.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of convertible rocker structure of the character indicated above of which a major portion constitutes a permanent structural component of the piece of furniture in which the structure is incorporated, and which effectively supports both in operative and inoperative positions the movable element of the structure and conceals the latter in its inoperative position,

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein for present purposes of illustration only, a specific embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

` In the drawings- Figure l is a side elevation of a convertible rocking chair embodying the invention, with the movable rocker inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a similar fragmentary view, showing the movable rocker concealed in inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of Figure 1.

' Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line li-- of Figure l, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a similarly enlarged transverse verticall section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom elevation of Figure 5, and,

Figure 7 is a perspective View of one movable rockers.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown incorporated in a chair 8 comprising a seat 9 supported between and connected to sides It, I@ each comprising a front vertical post II and a rear vertical post I 2.

The convertible rocker structure comprises a rigidly mounted horizontal brace l!! having its front and rear ends tenoned or otherwise suitably fixed, as indicated at i5 and I6, respectively,

of the on the front and rear posts I I and I2, respectively, of each chair side IIJ, the brace having a straight longitudinal lower edge I'i, and an upwardly curved upper longitudinal edge I8 of the same curvature as that of a rocker runner appropriate for the chair 8. The lower edge Il of the brace It is spaced upwardly from the lower ends of the posts il and I2 which, as indicated at I9, are oppositely curved to constitute extensions at the opposite ends of the movable rocker 20 when in operative position, as shown in Figure l.

The rocker 2i! is of the same shape, size, and thickness as the brace I4, both being vertically elongated rectangular in cross section, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rocker having a straight edge Il and a curved runner edge it corresponding to the edgesL I1 and I8, respectively, of the brace I4.

Concealed type hinges 2l having anchor portions thereof in recesses 22 in the straight edges Il and il', hingedly connect the brace I4 and rocker 2U together, so that the rocker 2l] can be swung upwardly and inwardly to inoperative position, in which it occupies a position along the laterally inward or inboard side of andis in registry with and is concealed by the'companion brace It, as shown in Figures 2 and 5; or swung downwardly and outwardly from such inoperative position, in which the chair 8 is supported on a iioor 23 on the lower ends of its posts lll and I2, to a position beneath and in full vertical alignment with the companion brace I4, as shown in Figures l, 3 and 4, wherein the chair l8 is rockably supported on the floor 23 by the rocker runner edge I8', wherein the straight edges I'l and I1 abut squarely, so as to resist inward displacement of the rocker 2t, while outward displacement thereof is precluded by the arrangement of the hinges 2 I.

For releasably holding the rockers ZIJ in inoperative position while the chair is lifted from or shifted over the floor 23, and in operative position, snap connectors are provided, which comprise male elements 24 and 25 on the edge I'I' of the rocker 2B and on the concealed side of the rockers 20 near the runner edges I8', respectively. As shown in Figure 4, the male elements 24 are arranged to snap into female snap elements 24 socketed in the straight lower edges I l of the braces I4 while, as shown in Figure 5, the male snap elements 25 are arranged to snap into the female elements 25 socketed in the upper part of the inboard sides of the braces I4. Relatively small pressure or pull on the forward or rearward ends of the rockers 20 are required to separate or engage the snap connectors or fasteners to permit quickly and easily positioning the rockers as desired.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the brace I4 and companion rocker on each chair side when folded together form a body whose width is the same or less than that of the posts II and I2, so that the rocker structures are concealed from the front and back of the chair 8.

For concealing the tops of the rocker structures from view, a conformably curved plate or binding 26, at least as wide as the brace I4 and rocker 2) together when folded, extends lengthwise between the posts II and I2 and is secured, as indicated at 2l, in Figure 5 upon the curved upper edge I8 of the brace I4 and projects laterally inwardly therefrom above the runner edge I8 of the rocker 20.

A finger hole is provided in the rocker element 20 to facilitate manipulation thereof into and vout of operativeposition.

What is claimed is:

l. A'convertible rocker structurefor a piece of furniture having a side involving front and back posts', said structure comprising a solid brace exi tending between and fixed to said front and back posts on a level above vthe lower ends of said posts, a solid rocker hinged tothe lower edge of said brace to swing from an inoperative position along the inboard4 side of said brace to an operative position beneath said brace in which said rocker projects belowy the lower ends of said front and back posts to support the piece of furniture rockably on a horizontal surface with the lower ends of said front and back posts spaced above said surface, said brace and rocker being of the same size and shape and said rocker being arranged to register with said brace While in its inoperative position, so as to be concealed .by said brace from a viewpoint at the outboard side of said piece of furniture.

2. A'convertible rocker structure for a piece of furniture having a side involving front and back posts, said structure comprising a horizontal brace extending between and` fixed to said front and back posts on a level above the lower ends of said posts, a rocker hinged to the lower edge of said brace to swing from an inoperative position along the inboard side of said brace to an operative position beneath said brace in which said rocker projects below the lower ends of said front and baci; posts to support the piece of furniture rockably on'a horizontalsurface with the lower ends ofs'aid front and back posts spaced above said surface, lsaid brace and rocker together having a cross sectional width in the inoperative position of said rocker nov greater than the'widths of saidY front'and back posts and being positioned therebehind so as to be concealed from viewpointsat the frontand back of said pieceof furniture.

3. A convertible rocker structure for a piece, of

furniture having a side involving frontand back` posts, said structure comprising a horizontal brace extendingbetweenV and fixed to said front and` back posts on a level above `the lower ends o f saidl posits, ia rocker hinged to ,the lower edge of said brace to swing from an inoperative position along the inboard side of said braceto an operative position beneath said brace in which said rocker projects below the lower ends of said front and back posts to support the piece of furniture rockably on a horizontal surface with the lower ends of said front and back posts spaced above said surface, said brace and rocker being of the same size and shape and said rocker being arranged to register with Said brace while in its inoperative position, so as to be concealed by said brace from a viewpoint at the outboard sideof said piece of furniture, and a concealment strip secured on the upper edge of said brace and projecting laterally therefrom in an inboard direction so as to overlie the corresponding edge of said rocker when in its inoperative position and conceal the upper edges thereof fromV a viewpoint thereabove.

1. A convertible rocker structure for a piece of furniture having a side involving front and back posts, said structure comprising a horizontal brace extending between and fixed to said front and back-posts on a level above the lower ends of said posts,- a rocker hinged to the lower edge efY said brace to swing from an inoperative position along the inboard side of said brace to an operative position beneath said brace in which said rocker projects below kthe lower ends of said front and back posts to support the piece of furniture rockably on a horizontal surface with the lower ends of said front and back postsA spaced above said surface, and releasable fastening ineansoperating between said brace and said rocker for holding said rocker in its operative position comprising male elements on said rocker and female elements on said brace and in its inoperative position.

5. A side for a chair comprising a pair of ver-.- tical legs, a horizontal brace extending between and secured tothe legs, said legs being substantially twice the thickness o f said brace with said brace disposed toward the outer sides of the legs, a rocker of the samer thickness as said brace positioned along the inward side of said brace and nested in thev space between the legs unoccupied by said brace whereby said rocker is concealed from the outer side and from the front and rear of the chair, means releasably holding, said rocker `in the concealedposition, hinge means connecting said rocker with the lower edge of said brace whereby said rocker canbe swung downwardly and outwardly from a concealed position to an operative position in which saidv rocker is supportably engaged with the lower edge of said brace and depends below said legs, and means releasably holding said rocker in operative position,

EDWARD A. SIMARD- RAYMOND P. SIMARD,

REFEIHFJNCESV CITED Ihe following references are of record in the file` of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 60,684 Burr 7.7, Jan. 1 1867 947,681 Horton` 1 l., Jan. 2,51910 1,026,706 Sears May 21,.. 1912 1,101,458 Levoy June 23, 1914 1,484,040 Sansom leb. 19, 1924 

